Protecting the American dream for socially vulnerable families: An evaluation of state-level policies to improve housing security and protect mobile home communities

Abstract

Background

Manufactured and mobile homes are the largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the U.S. However, mobile home residents face unique challenges and are at greater risk of housing instability. State-level policies to enhance the regulation of mobile home parks and expand protections for residents are needed to address these challenges. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation process and impact of newly enacted mobile home park policies on the housing security of Colorado residents and to identify policy implementation hurdles and successes. Study Design: Policy implementation evaluation using mixed methods.

Methods

Ten mobile home parks in three small-to-medium sized communities in Colorado were invited to participate in the evaluation conducted between 2020 and 2022. The mixed methods policy implementation evaluation included cross-sectional surveys of mobile home park residents (n = 356), qualitative interviews with community advisory groups (n = 24), and focus groups with community residents (n = 12). Data were triangulated to identify themes related to policy implementation successes and challenges.

Results

Evaluation findings elevate mobile home park residents' lived experiences and summarize challenges related to implementation of Colorado's mobile home park policies. A substantial lag in policy implementation was observed. Notably, the infrastructure necessary to implement and monitor adherence to the new policies had to be developed. Among mobile home park residents, fear of retaliation from property owners, park management, and oversight agencies remained a significant barrier to policy effectiveness despite the new protections offered by the state-level policies.

Conclusions

Translation of policies into practice takes time and resources. Recommendations to enhance policy implementation are to ensure adequate allocation of inputs and resources to support implementation across multiple levels, including the infrastructure essential to monitor and enforce policy adherence, and educational materials paired with a strong communication plan to improve residents’ awareness and capacity to navigate the new policies.